Have You Every Heard Of Badeucy And Badacey?
If you have ever stepped into a mixed-game poker room or caught a glimpse of dealer's choice cash game tables, you might have heard players talking about Badeucey and Badacey. If you haven't had that opportunity yet for playing any of these games in tournament format, then this week is your time to shine! To be more specific: The Badeucey/Badacey will kick off on Thursday, July 1st, at 20:00 local time.
The two variants are incredibly action-packed, and exactly the reason why they fit well with The Festival, and are split-pot games that blend the mechanics of Triple Draw lowball with the card-matching puzzle of Badugi. If you are still searching on the web how the games work, look no further, as here is a complete breakdown of both games, how they are played, and what sets them apart from each other.
The Core Concept: A Split-Pot Puzzle
Both Badeucey and Badacey are split-pot games played with five cards. Unlike standard poker where you try to make a high hand like a straight or a flush, here you are fighting for two completely different low hands simultaneously:
- The Lowball Half: You use all five cards in your hand to form the best possible five-card low hand.
- The Badugi Half: You select up to four cards from your hand to form the best possible Badugi.
What is a Badugi? A Badugi is a hand made of cards that are all different suits and different ranks. If you have duplicates of a suit or a rank, those cards are disqualified from your Badugi hand, leaving you with a 3-card or 2-card hand. Any 4-card Badugi beats any 3-card hand, no matter how low the 3-card hand is.
At showdown, half the pot goes to the player with the best 5-card lowball hand, and the other half goes to the player with the best Badugi hand. It is entirely possible to win both halves (called "scooping" the pot).
How the Game is Played (The Structure)
Both games follow a standard Triple Draw structure, usually played as Fixed Limit.
- The Setup: The game uses a dealer button and standard small and big blinds. Every player is dealt five cards face down.
- Round 1 (Pre-Draw): Betting begins with the player to the left of the big blind.
- The First Draw: Active players can discard anywhere from zero cards (standing pat) up to a maximum of a few cards (often up to 4 or 5, though usually players swap 1 to 3) to draw new ones.
- Round 2: A second round of betting takes place, starting with the first active player to the left of the button.
- The Second Draw & Round 3: Another drawing phase followed by a round of betting (where the bet size usually doubles if playing limit).
- The Third Draw & Final Round: A third and final draw, followed by the final betting round and the showdown.
Badeucey vs. Badacey: The Crucial Differences
The structural gameplay for both is identical. The entire difference comes down to how the lowball hands are scored and how Aces are valued.
1. Badeucey (2-7 Rules + Badugi)
Badeucy combines Badugi with Deuce-to-Seven (2-7) Lowball rules.
- Aces are High: In Badeucey, Aces are strictly high cards. They are terrible for your low hand.
- Straights and Flushes Hurt You: Straights and flushes count against you in the 5-card low portion.
- The Best 5-Card Low: Because Aces are high and straights/flushes are bad, the ultimate 5-card low hand is 2-3-4-5-7 (off-suit).
- The Best Badugi: Since Aces are high, the best possible 4-card Badugi is 2-3-4-5 of four different suits.
2. Badacey (A-5 Rules + Badugi)
Badacey combines Badugi with Ace-to-Five (A-5) Lowball rules.
- Aces are Low: In Badacey, Aces are the best possible low card you can hold.
- Straights and Flushes Do Not Count: Straights and flushes are ignored for the 5-card low portion.
- The Best 5-Card Low: Because Aces are low and straights don't matter, the ultimate 5-card low hand is A-2-3-4-5 (even if they are all the same suit!).
- The Best Badugi: In the Badugi portion, Aces remain low. Therefore, the ultimate 4-card Badugi is 2-3-4-5 of four different suits.
Quick Summary
| Feature | Badeucey | Badacey |
| Aces are... | High (Bad) | Low (Great) |
| Straights & Flushes... | Count against your low | Are ignored for your low |
| Best 5-Card Hand | 2-3-4-5-7 (Off-suit) | A-2-3-4-5 (Any suits) |
| Best Badugi Hand | 2-3-4-5 (Four different suits) | A-2-3-4 (Four different suits) |
Quick Strategy Tip for Beginners
Because these are split-pot games, the biggest trap you can fall into is chasing only one half of the pot with a mediocre hand. If you are drawing to a great 5-card low but your cards are all hearts, you have zero chance of making a good Badugi.
You would want to look for starting hands that off 'synergy', low cards that are already unsuited. If you hold something like A 2 3 5 in Badacey, you are holding a powerhouse that is simultaneously drawing to the best possible lowball hand and the best possible Badugi!
Good luck at the tables, and above all, ENJOY!
| Date/Time | Tournament Name | Buy-In | Late Reg | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1st, 20:00 local time | PL Badeucey Badacey | €150 | unlimited re-entries (8 lvls) | 15 Minutes |
